Sault Ste. Marie Man Sentenced to Prison

MARQUETTE, MI – (Great Lakes Radio News) – An Eastern U.P. man has been sentenced in Federal Court in Marquette for illegally transporting and storing explosives.

64-year-old John Lechner of Sault Ste. Marie, was sentenced to a total of 51 months in prison and a fine of $6,000. Lechner was convicted in June last year of the charges. He was not charged with plotting to detonate the explosives, but was charged for their illegal transport.

Ken Kassab of Brimley, a co-defendant in the case, was acquitted of the charges of illegally transporting fuel oil and ammonium nitrate and another charge.

Lechner had originally struck a plea deal with the government but dismissed the deal and decided to take the case to trial.

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